Robredo back in Philippines after daughter’s graduation in US

MANILA, Philippines — Vice President Leni Robredo returned to Manila from the United States on Saturday night after she attended the graduation of her youngest daughter Jillian.

Robredo and her daughters, Aika, Tricia and Jillian, arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) around 10:30 p.m.

The Vice President begged off when offered courtesy assistance by airport authorities and followed the usual process for arriving passengers while airline employees and passengers took photos of and with her.

Last May 18, the Vice President attended the graduation ceremony at New York University (NYU), from which Jillian earned her Bachelor of Arts degrees in mathematics and economics.

During a thanksgiving gathering with Sen. Francis Pangilinan on May 13, Robredo announced she would be launching the “Angat Buhay NGO (non-government organization)” on July 1.

With her supporters immediately expressing their willingness to join her project, the Angat Buhay NGO is seen to be the largest volunteer group in the country.

“We will form the biggest volunteer network in the history of the entire country. We will forge on to reach those in the fringes (of society) and chip-in for their benefit,” she said in Filipino.

Sara reaches out to Robredo

Meanwhile, vice president-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed she has formally requested a meeting with Robredo to discuss the smooth transition of the Office of the Vice President (OVP), under which she plans to embark on an entrepreneurship project for women that was first launched in Davao City.

In a chance interview with reporters in Lubao, Pampanga last Thursday, Duterte-Carpio said she had already sent a letter addressed to Robredo to formally request for the meeting, following her proclamation as the duly elected vice president the day before at the Batasang Pambansa.

“We will first finish our transition with the OVP. We are set to release a letter today (Thursday) addressed to Vice President Leni Robredo signed by me, requesting for an initial meeting,” she said.

She said she intends to carry her “Magnegosyo Ta Day” – an entrepreneurship program for women launched in Davao City in 2020 – over to the OVP.

In terms of taking the helm at the Department of Education (DepEd), Duterte-Carpio said she had also reached out to outgoing Education Secretary Leonor Briones for the transition process.

She said she would also have to consult president-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on what he would want to be prioritized in terms of basic education.

Asked if she is open to seeking help from political opponents in the recent elections, the eldest daughter of President Duterte said: “Not only from political opponents, [but from] everyone. I’m calling on all Filipinos to help the new administration, and help me, and my work as Vice President and Secretary of Education.”

The vice president-elect was in Lubao to attend the oath-taking of her political ally, former president Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, who was reelected representative of the Second District of Pampanga.

Davao oath-taking

For her own oath-taking, Duterte-Carpio said she intends to push through with the ceremony in Davao City on June 19, though she has yet to decide where she will hold office as vice president starting June 30.

Yesterday, the Philippine National Police (PNP) assured the public that security preparations for her inauguration are being kept tight and that complete coordination with the Presidential Security Group (PSG) is being undertaken.

“As mandated by Section 35 of Republic Act 6975 or the DILG Act of 1990, the Police Security and Protection Group (PSPG) is expected to provide support to the PSG in securing the President-elect, Vice President-elect and the First Family,” said Brig. Gen. Roderick Alba, PNP public information chief.

Alba said the PNP would not be disclosing the number of personnel deployed to secure the inaugural events for Duterte-Carpio and Marcos Jr.

While Marcos has yet to announce the site for his inauguration on June 30, Danao said: “The PNP is always ready in ensuring the security of our President and Vice President-elect.”

Marcos Jr.’s sister, Sen. Imee Marcos, said their family had wanted to hold his inaugural at the Quirino Grandstand, the traditional venue of their late father’s “major public engagements” when he was president.

However, the grandstand grounds are in use as Manila’s COVID-19 field hospital. – Elizabeth Marcelo, Neil Jayson Servallos